The books are all immensely popular. But as far as I can tell there still is only limited and grudging acceptance in intellectual circles, despite the Tolkien experts teaching Tolkien courses in universities around the world. I suspect that in some circles there is little distinction between LotR and Twilight.

I fell in love with LotR some 45 years ago and it has remained my favourite book ever since, along with Tolkien’s other Middle Earth books.

Gazillions of other people have read and loved the books too and I remember when LotR was named book of the century or something in Britain. The books are all immensely popular. But as far as I can tell there still is only limited and grudging acceptance in intellectual circles, despite the Tolkien experts teaching Tolkien courses in universities around the world. My impression is that Middle Earth is considered rather passé and juvenile in hipster or cool circles; but I have no firsthand knowledge of that , thankfully never having been cool in my life. I suspect that in some circles there is little distinction between LotR and Twilight.

atmosphere and tone which is not quite like saying I want Bilbo to kiss Unicorns and have Gollum wear glittery underpants is it?

The attempt by certain sections of American society to claim them as their own is one of the things that frustrates Christopher Tolkien.

that JRR Tolkien was not at all happy with the hippies co-opting his stories (which is why I'm convinced he would have loathed Jackson's portrayal of Radagast). I'm sure he would have been just as unhappy with Led Zeppelin and many of the English progressive rock bands also co-opting his stories, but he probably didn't live to see that happen.

Christopher did live to see that, so I'm not sure why he'd single out Americans when there were fellow Englishmen of his doing the same thing, unless he was just unaware.

that JRR Tolkien was not at all happy with the hippies co-opting his stories (which is why I'm convinced he would have loathed Jackson's portrayal of Radagast). I'm sure he would have been just as unhappy with Led Zeppelin and many of the English progressive rock bands also co-opting his stories, but he probably didn't live to see that happen.

I work in publishing (in Britain) and when talking to literary types (and others) in that world, in general I do not even raise my head above the parapet to admit that I like Tolkien's work. I'm afraid that fantasy, including Tolkien's LOTR, and science fiction are rather 'looked down on' by 'intellectuals', with the exception, perhaps, of authors such as Neil Gaiman and Ian M. Banks. That's always been the case in literary circles.

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and you work in literary circles, so stick your head above the parapet and be proud! Rayner Unwin, who published The Hobbit, was also a literary type.

The problem with literary circles is that they operate in big cities, and are often populated by insecure urbanites who have never sat in a hedgerow, or understood the importance of doing so.

I work mainly on academic factual books (arts, natural history, etc.), not literary fiction.

I certainly agree with your second paragraph. I'm not sure about 'insecure urbanites', though. I would call them something different – and less complementary…

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"Tolkiens books deserve the best, outstanding, most visionary and capable of directors. The likes of David Lean, Malick, Cuaron, Peter Weir...im sure, many other names... Peter Bad Taste Jackson is not suited, imo, for Tolkien.

His very undisciplined and contradictory nature as a filmmaker is a detriment to the adaptations. He can create great scenes worthy of the books, but then he ruins it all with inventions, ott scenes, bad writing, and a taste for the juvenile, the vulgar, melodrama and the predictable...

Lotr and TH should be treated as Lawrence of Arabia, an absolute masterpiece, a classic that would earn the respect and admiration of everyone for its cinematic brilliance.

I like Lotr , specially fellowship, but i easily recognize that they could have been so much better with a greater director at the helm."

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I could not agree with you more, and apparently, the American Film Institute concurs. Only one of Jackon's LotR movies, Fellowship, is listed on its "top 100 movies of all time" and continues to slide down the list. Time will undoubtedly lead to its eventual removal, unlike the great classics such as Lawrence of Arabia, Ben-Hur, and Bridge on the River Kwai. It truly is amazing what a great director can create when he relies on his own imagination and talent rather than the lastest special effects' bells-and-whistles.'

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"But a TV adaptation is my dream now. This a golden age of television and it is much easier to do it today than in the past."
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Coincidentally, Spielberg and Lucas recently gave a joint interview in which they agreed with you. They believe the days of the grand movie complexes are passing and have already begun to plan projects for the small screen instead of the larger one. Lincoln was originally destined for HBO. Perhaps one day, SS will obtain the television rights from Zaentz and we'll see Tolkien's vision of Middle Earth as portrayed in the books instead of the cut-and-paste version now on the market.